What digital transformation really requires – Expert view: Ishara Ranasinghe

At DIMEA, we believe that every successful transformation begins with understanding. In  this guest contribution, Ishara Ranasinghe shares a personal story of how digital change  unfolds in practice – through experience, learning and leadership, not through tools alone. His reflections highlight a principle we see in every assessment: technology succeeds only when  people share a common purpose, clear expectations and a path they can follow together.  

Alongside his industry role, he is an active lecturer and trainer, working closely with  universities and emerging professionals. Ishara is passionate about translating BIM from a  technical concept into a practical, value-driven way of working – particularly in organisations  and markets where digital transformation is still developing. 

Learning BIM the hard way – from tools to leadership 

I did not start my career with a vision of digital transformation or BIM leadership.  I started it with frustration.  

As a quantity surveyor working in the Middle East, much of my time was spent on repetitive  manual work – measuring quantities from CAD drawings, drawing polylines and transferring  numbers into Excel sheets. It was slow, inefficient and exhausting. I was not looking for  digitalisation as an idea. I was simply looking for a smarter way to work.  

That search led me to Revit and automated quantity take-offs. Tasks that once took hours  could suddenly be completed in minutes. At that point, I believed I had found BIM. Like  many others, I confused the software with the methodology. 

When tools come before understanding  

Our first BIM-related projects followed quickly. We knew how to use the tools, so we  assumed we understood BIM. We priced the work cheaply, without fully grasping the scope,  responsibility or value of what we were offering. In reality, we were delivering models, not  changing the way projects worked.  

Those projects were not failures, but they were incomplete. They taught me a critical lesson:  BIM is not a tool you add to an existing workflow. When used that way, it becomes an extra  burden rather than a benefit.  

As project complexity and responsibility increased, it became clear that BIM’s real value  does not lie in models, but in how people collaborate, make decisions and manage 

information. That was the moment when technology stopped being the main challenge – and  leadership started to matter.

Teaching forces clarity 

A turning point in my development came through teaching. As a lecturer and trainer, I  repeatedly faced the same questions from students and early-career professionals: Where do we start? Which software should we buy? How fast will this pay back? 

Answering these questions forced me to simplify my own thinking. Over time, one principle  became clear: 

Process must come before software. 

When organisations invest in tools before defining workflows, roles and responsibilities, BIM  feels like extra work. When processes are clear and people are trained properly, technology  becomes an enabler rather than an obstacle. 

Teaching also revealed that individuals often learn faster than organisations. Young  professionals adapt quickly, while companies struggle because change challenges established  habits, structures and leadership mindsets. 

Where to start – advice for individuals entering BIM 

One of the most common questions I hear is simple but difficult: How do I actually start? 

My advice is usually less technical than expected. Do not start by buying software or trying  to learn every tool available. Tools change quickly and, without context, only create  confusion. Instead, focus on understanding how information flows through a project – who  makes decisions, when they are made and why they matter. 

Invest time in learning processes before mastering software. Understand coordination,  information structure and workflow dependencies. With that foundation in place, tools  become easier to learn and far more meaningful to use. 

Most importantly, be patient. BIM competence does not come from a single course or project.  It develops gradually through doing, reflecting and taking responsibility. That mindset  matters more than any individual certification. 

BIM as a leadership challenge 

In my current role as Director – BIM, I spend far less time discussing software and far more  time discussing value. The biggest barrier to BIM adoption is rarely technical competence. It  is the inability to recognise value that does not appear as direct revenue. 

Digital construction creates value through savings – fewer errors, less rework, better  predictability and reduced risk. These benefits are real, but they do not always fit neatly into  traditional ROI models. When leadership focuses only on immediate financial returns,  digitalisation appears costly and unnecessary.

This is why BIM adoption often stalls. Not because teams cannot deliver, but because  leadership does not yet speak the same language as digital workflows. 

Sri Lanka as a learning environment – and a shared responsibility 

In Sri Lanka, BIM adoption is still at an early stage. Challenges remain: limited resources,  lack of structured demand and ongoing brain drain. At the same time, there is strong interest,  rapid learning and growing international relevance. 

Much of the BIM expertise developed by Sri Lankan professionals is now delivered  internationally. Knowledge moves, even when local markets evolve slowly. Digital  construction has become a global language. 

This is also why, in February, we are organising a seminar focused on digitalisation in the  construction sector in Sri Lanka. One of its key objectives is to create an open platform for  discussion – not about tools, but about what Sri Lanka actually needs and how the industry  can move forward together. 

The intention is to bring different perspectives into the same conversation: asset owners,  contractors, individual professionals, financiers, insurers, educators and technology  specialists. Digital transformation cannot be driven by one group alone. Progress requires  shared understanding, trust and collaboration across the entire value chain. 

For me, this seminar is a natural continuation of the same learning journey described here – moving from individual experience to collective dialogue, and from isolated initiatives to a  more coordinated way forward. 

My path into BIM was not planned. It evolved through mistakes, learning, teaching and  growing responsibility. That is why I believe digital construction should not be approached as  a technology project, but as an organisational learning process. 

If we want BIM to succeed, we must stop asking only what software to use – and start asking  how we lead change. 

If you are interested in participating in the seminar or contributing to the discussion, you are  very welcome to get in touch directly. 

You can contact me at ishararanasinghe@gmail.com / +94 77 364 8348. 

DIMEA closing note 

Ishara’s journey shows that digital transformation rarely follows a linear plan. It evolves  through experience, reflection and shared learning. Progress begins when individuals are 

given space to learn, when organisations are willing to question their assumptions, and when  leadership accepts that change cannot be delegated to tools. 

At DIMEA, we see the same pattern across markets and roles. Sustainable transformation  emerges when people understand why change matters, how it affects their daily work, and  how they can move forward together – step by step, with purpose and clarity. 

Try. Measure. Learn. Scale.